GPX Slates High-Value TV/DVD Combos

St. Louis — Noted primarily as a vendor of promotional portable audio products and accessories, GPX recently announced it is expanding into TV/DVD combo products and will seek to push its image as a developer of value-added home and portable components.

GPX CEO Fran Olsey said the company will run an aggressive brand-building advertising and promotional campaign to alert retailers and consumers to the expanding assortment of attractively priced audio and video products.

In all, GPX will introduce 70 products in 2002, including some of its first video products.

As a highlight of that effort, GPX will ship this year four TV/DVD combo models, including a portable boom-box version with a pop-up LCD screen for movie viewing on the go.

Boom box model DV6000-04 features a 4-inch (4:3) pop-up color LCD screen, a DVD player that is compatible with audio CD, CD-R and CD-RW discs. It will also playback music files recorded in the Internet-friendly MP3 music format. Other features include an AM/FM radio, full-featured DVD remote, a 181-channel cable-ready tuner, V-chip parental protection and a three-way power supply that accepts an AC adapter, fused cigarette lighter adapter or eight D-size batteries. The DV6000-04 will ship to dealers in August at a $350 suggested retail price.

For portable and stationary viewing, GPX will offer model DV6000-09, which features a 9-inch color direct view picture tube, DVD/CD/CD-R/RW (with MP3 capability) player and a 181-channel cable-ready tuner. The unit offers two-way power options, including an AC-adapter and a fused cigarette lighter adapter. Other features include a remote control, headphone jack, front-mounted A/V inputs and V-chip parental protection. It ships in June at a $350 suggested retail price.

Model DV6000-13 is a home-based model that adds a 13-inch color picture tube, DVD player with CD, CD-R/RW and MP3 compatibility, 181-channel cable ready tuner, V-chip, remote, sleep timer and stereo playback on DVDs and DC audio. It ships in July at a $300 suggested retail price.

Model DV6000-20, which will ship in July at $350, is a 20-inch version of the preceding 13-inch model.

Meanwhile, the company said it plans an aggressive brand-awareness campaign, stressing GPX's "pioneering contributions to consumer electronics, ranging from innovations in packaging and fashionable designs to dedicated customer service and creative application of leading-edge technology."

The program will combine advertising, public relations and special promotions with retail partners and relevant third parties.